Ryan Godown Jr. Continues Winning Ways At Bridgeport Motorsports Park

Story By: DEB SMITH / BRIDGEPORT MOTORSPORTS PARK – SWEDESBORO, NJ – It was Belmont’s Garage Night at the Bridgeport Motorsports Park and Ryan Godown, Jr., Tom Wills, Jr., Kevin Nagy and Amanda Angstadt each added another win to their season total in Saturday night action that saw four divisions of competition.

Ryan Godown was the flag-to-flag winner in the South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Crate Sportsman feature event after drawing the pole. Godown made it look easy even though several cautions brought the field back to the leader and closed in the ranks.

Brett Belmont had one of three of the Belmont Garage sponsored entries in second through the first fourteen laps of the race before current point leader, Sammy Martz, Jr. took over the spot on a lap fifteen restart. Travis Hill had the Cogdill No. 98 racing among the top five throughout the twenty-five lap event, running as high as second but ultimately finishing behind Godown and Martz.

Mechanical issues plagued several drivers that raced in the top five during the main event. 2021 Rookie Champion, Ethan Bill raced within the top five until mechanical failure sidelined him at past the halfway mark. With five laps to go, Godown led Martz,, Hill, Steve Kemery, Tom Sherby and Kyle Belmont. The field took the white flag before the caution came out for Brett Belmont who spun due to a tire going down on his No. 14. While under caution, Kemery stopped in turn two -his race was over due to a broken axle adaptor.

Godown led the way to the checkered for his fourth Bridgeport win of the season followed by Martz, Hill, Sherby and Kyle Belmont who raced his way into the top five late in the race. Jim Dallett had another strong effort, finishing sixth. Joe Toth brought his Belmont Garage sponsored No. 9 home in seventh with Matt Ellery, Sean Metz and Howie Finch rounding out the top ten at the flag.

Godown was thankful to return to the Weaknecht Archery Victory Lane. “Thanks to everyone who helps on the car…We were really struggling in July but so far August is looking better,” the feature winner stated.

Kevin Nagy did it again!! Nagy raced into the lead of the Delaware Auto Exchange Mid Atlantic Sprint Series on the first lap and never looked back as he collected his fifth Bridgeport victory of the season bringing his win total to eight for 2021.

Nagy told announcer, Barry Angstadt about how he is not comfortable speaking in front of people. Words haven’t been necessary as Nagy’s racing has really delivered the message so far this season.

Larry McVay raced for the lead on lap one before Nagy put the No. 45 out in front off of turn four. The caution waved on lap three for Jenna Shotz in turn one, bringing the field back together for a double file restart. That brought third place Ryan Stillwaggon right up to Nagy and McVay for a three car battle for the lead on the restart. Cody West raced in fourth with Zack Bealer and Aiden Borden racing for fifth.

Christian Rumsey went for a wild ride in turn four with six laps scored. Rumsey was not injured.

McVay and Stillwaggon challenged Nagy on each of the restarts but Nagy was able to pull away under green flag conditions.

Nagy led the way to the checkered flag over McVay, Stillwaggon, Bealer and West with Rick Stief, Tim Iulg, Tim Tanner, Aidan Borden and Eddie Wagner rounding out the top ten. When Cody West didn’t make weight after the feature, his finish was dropped to eighteenth, moving everyone up a spot and adding CJ Faison to the top ten.

West’s Fred Kennedy No. 56 was heavily damaged the previous Saturday when a titanium bolt that connects the drag link to the steering arm broke. The team spent many hours rebuilding the car for Saturday night’s race and never got a chance to scale the car.

A $300 bounty was posted by Palmco Motorsports and Wheelsof Speed.com for any driver who was able to win, provided Nagy was competing at the checkered flag. Nagy was also eligible for the bounty if he would forego the draw and start in twelfth. Nagy elected to take his chances with the draw.

Tom Wills, Jr. raced from his third place start and into the lead on the first lap to win a wire-to-wire feature in the Bridgeport Motorsports Park Street Stocks. Jeff Dirkes did not make it an easy win as he and Wills raced side by side on several occasions.

Wills took the win over Dirkes, Mike Hughes, Jr., Jeramy Doerr and Nick Sandone III. Doerr rebounded after a trip to the pits. Wills followed the strick instructions after last week’s win to wash the car, put it on jack stands and to not change a thing.

Michael Beckett led the first lap of the All Star Slingshot feature after a three wide battle for the lead with Amanda Angstadt and Ashley Therien.

One lap later, Angstadt completed the pass for the lead. Beckett was able to hang with the leader but was not able to challenge for the lead before the checkered flag waved. Becket finished second over Mark Kiefert who was making his first start at Spirit this season. Ryan Biello crossed the line in fourth but did not make weight following the feature. That moved Ryan Davey into fourth and Tim Franks into fifth.

Regular shows are on tap for both Spirit Auto Center Speedway and Bridgeport Motorsports Park next weekend with the Foley Cat Modifieds returning for the Saturday night program. Then on Saturday, August 21, look for the Super Late Models make their first ever appearance on the Bridgeport high banks, joining the Modifieds, 602 Crate Sportsman, Street Stocks, 4&8 Cylinder Enduro Cars and a Saturday afternoon matinee for the All Star Slingshots.

SOUTH JERSEY OVERHEAD DOORS 602 SPORTSMAN (LAPS 25)

Ryan Godown, Jr., 2. Sammy Martz, Jr., 3. Travis Hill, 4. Tom Sherby, 5. Kyle Belmont, 6. Jim Dallett, 7. Joe Toth, 8. Matt Ellery, 9. Sean Metz, 10. Howie Finch, 11. Steve Davis, 12. Ryan Higgs, 13. Ian Humphreys, 14. Billy Chester, 15. Pete Serra, 16. Brett Belmont, 17. Steve Kemery, 18. Brandon Shipley, 19. Zach Steffey, 20. Shane Kassekert, 21. Luke Marcheski, 22. Erik Mattson, 23. Ethan Bill, 24. Scott Hulmes, 25. John Scarpati, DNQ – Nick DeSantis, Wayne Weaver, Will Protinick

MID-ATLANTIC SPRINT SERIES (25 LAPS)

Kevin Nagy, 2. Larry McVay, 3. Ryan Stillwaggon, 4. Zach Bealer, 5. Rick Stief, 6. Tim Iulg, 7. Tim Tanner, 8. Aidan Borden, 9. Eddie Wagner, 10. C.J. Faison, 11. Mark Bitner, 12. Rory Janney, 13. Jeff Geiges, 14. Josh Bricker, 15. Keith Anderson, 16. Dale Eggert, 17. Marie McVay, 18. Cody West, 19. Darren Cox, 20. Kristina Pratt, 21. Justin Nowlen, 22. Christian Rumsey, 23. Rich Janney, 24. Jenna Shotz, DNS – Buddy Schweibinz

BRIDGEPORT MOTORSPORTS PARK STREET STOCKS (15 LAPS)

Tom Wills, Jr., 2. Jeff Dirkes, 3. Mike Hughes, 4. Jeramy Doerr, 5. Nick Sandone, III, 6. Keith McKinley, 7. Wes Camp, 8. Mike Creamer, 9. John Parker, 10. Johnny Bush

ALL-STAR SLINGSHOTS (20 LAPS)

Amanda Angstadt, 2. Michael Beckett, 3. Mark Kiefert, 4. Ryan Davey, 5. Tim Franks, 6. Dave Morrell, 7. Tomas Mowery, 8. P.J. Bozowski, 9. Ashley Therien, 10. Scott Phillipp, 11. Nick Biello, 12. Ryan Biello